Mandevilla plant named ‘White Velvet’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘White Velvet’, characterized by its upright vining growth habit; glossy, dark green-colored leaves; white-colored flowers faintly overlain with red purple with imbricate petals with ruffled margins; and tolerance to low and high temperatures.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘White Velvet’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrid, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘White Velvet’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Hawthorne, Fla. The objective of the breeding programwas to develop new Mandevilla cultivars with attractive flower form andcoloration.

The new cultivar originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in August, 2003, of the Mandevilla hybrid cultivar Red Velvet,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,238, as the female, or seed, parentwith an unnamed selection of Mandevilla boliviensis, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla was discovered andselected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Hawthorne, Fla.on Apr. 12, 2005 from within the resultant progeny of the aforementionedcross-pollination. The new cultivar was selected on the basis of itsunique flower coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings inHawthorne, Fla. since June, 2005, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Mandevilla are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar White Velvet have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘White Velvet’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘White Velvet’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. Upright vining plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Large, glossy and dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. White-colored flowers that are faintly overlain with red        purple with imbricate petals with ruffled margins.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Red Velvet. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Hawthorne, Fla., plants of the new Mandevilla differed from plants ofthe cultivar Red Velvet in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Red Velvet.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the cultivar Red Velvet        differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Red Velvet        had dark pink to dark red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hawthorne,Fla., plants of the new Mandevilla differed from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had larger leaves than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla had larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of theMandevilla cultivar, ‘White Delite’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.8,479. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hawthorne, Fla., plantsof the new Mandevilla differed from plants of the cultivar White Delitein the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more vigorous than plants        of the cultivar White Delite.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla had thicker stems than plants of        the cultivar White Delite.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla had larger leaves than plants of        the cultivar White Delite.    -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla had larger flowers than plants        of the cultivar White Delite.    -   5. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the cultivar White Delite        differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Mandevilla.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘White Velvet’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowersand leaves of ‘White Velvet’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and following description were about one yearold and grown in one gallon containers in a polyethylene-coveredgreenhouse in Hawthorn, Fla. during the summer. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures ranged from about 32° C. to about 35° C.and night temperatures were about 21° C.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrid cultivar White Velvet.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Mandevilla hybrid cultivar Red            Velvet, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,238.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Mandevilla            boliviensis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 24° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at 21° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 45 days at 32° C.        -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 60 days at 12° C. to            27° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial evergreen flowering plant; twining vine;            initially upright, then vining, requires support to maintain            upright habit. Plants are typically pinched about three            months after planting to enhance lateral branch development;            potentially two lateral branches form at every node.        -   Plant height (length).—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 28 cm.        -   Vigor.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Shape: Round in            cross-section. Aspect: Initially upright, then trailing,            requires support. Strength: Flexible, moderately strong.            Texture: Developing stems; very fine white pubescence.            Mature stems; woody and mostly smooth and glabrous. Color:            Developing stems: 144A. Mature stems: Close to 148A overlain            with close to 165A to 165B.        -   Foliage description.—Leaves simple, opposite; generally            symmetrical and long-persisting. Length: About 15.2 cm.            Width: About 5.3 cm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Apex: Sharply            acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Short fine pubescence. Luster: Upper            surface, glossy; lower surface, somewhat glossy. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Petiole length: About 1.5 cm. Petiole            diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent. Color: Developing and fully expanded            foliage, upper surface: More green than 147A. Developing and            fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 146B.            Venation, upper surface: Lateral veins, close to 147A;            midvein, close to 146B. Venation, lower surface: Lateral            veins, close to 146B; midvein, close to 146D. Petiole, upper            surface: Close to 146A to 146B. Petiole, lower surface:            Close to 146B to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Simple salverfrom flowers arranged on            axillary or terminal racemes; flowers face mostly outward.            Flowers self-cleaning. Freely flowering, about 20 flowers            per plant develop during the flowering season.        -   Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn;            flowering continuous.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to four days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted; petals imbricate; flowers roughly star-shaped.            Diameter: About 7.8 cm. Depth (length): About 5.4 cm.            Corolla tube length: About 2.75 cm. Throat diameter: About            1.4 cm. Tube diameter, base: About 2.5 mm.        -   Flower buds (just before opening).—Length: About 4 cm.            Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close            to 155D faintly underlain with close to 61A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five            imbricate petals, fused into flared trumpet. Petal lobe            length: About 3.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.8 cm. Petal            shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded; undulate,            ruffled appearance. Petal margin: Entire; undulate, ruffled            appearance. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            velvety. Color: Petal, upper surface, when opening: Close to            155D overlain with close to 61A. Petal, lower surface, when            opening: Close to 155D faintly underlain with close to 61A.            Petal, upper surface, fully opened; Close to 155D faintly            overlain with close to 61A; color becoming closer to 155D            with development. Petal, lower surface, fully opened: Close            to 155D faintly underlain with close to 61A; color becoming            closer to 155D with development. Tube, fully opened: Close            to 150C. Throat, fully opened: Close to 4D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower in a single            whorl; fused; reflexed. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About            2 mm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Fused. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            slightly waxy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            144D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: Mostly straight. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five; filaments            fused to corolla. Anther shape: Oblong, elongated. Anther            size: About 4 mm by 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 8C.            Pollen: None observed. Pistils: Quantity: One. Pistil            length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:            Close to 150D. Style color: Close to 155D. Ovary color:            Close to 144A to 144B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to be tolerant to rain and wind and tolerant to    temperatures from about 0° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘White Velvet’,as illustrated and described.